I mean no harm or offense to anyone on this planet earth, which must be preserved for all of us to dwell in peacefully.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Lord Shiva - Om Namah Shivaya

Lord Shiva

The
Powerful God:

Shiva is 'shakti' or power, Shiva is the destroyer,
the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and one of the godheads in the
Hindu Trinity. Known by many names -
Mahadeva, Mahayogi, Pashupati, Nataraja, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhava, Bhole
Nath - Lord Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities. Hindus
recognize this by putting his shrine in the temple separate from those of other
deities.

Shiva As
Phallic Symbol:

Shiva, in temples is usually found as a phallic
symbol of the 'linga', which represents the energies necessary for life on both
the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels, that is, the world in which we live
and the world which constitutes the whole of the universe. In a Shaivite temple, the 'linga' is placed in
the center underneath the spire, where it symbolizes the naval of the earth.

A Different
Deity:

The actual image of Shiva is also distinct from other
deities: his hair piled high on the top of his head, with a crescent tucked
into it and the river Ganges tumbling from his hairs. Around his neck is a coiled serpent
representing Kundalini or the spiritual energy within life. He holds a trident in his left hand in which
is bound the 'damroo' (small leather drum).
He sits on a tiger skin and on his right is a water pot. He wears the
'Rudraksha' beads and his whole body is smeared with ash.

The
Destructive Force:

Shiva is believed to be at the core of the
centrifugal force of the universe, because of his responsibility for death and
destruction. Unlike the godhead Brahma, the Creator, or Vishnu, the Preserver,
Shiva is the dissolving force in life.
But Shiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for
rebirth into a new life. So the opposites of life and death and creation and
destruction both reside in his character.

The Most
Fascinating of Gods:

He is also often portrayed as the supreme ascetic
with a passive and composed disposition.
Sometimes he is depicted riding a bull called Nandi decked in
garlands. Although a very complicated
deity, Shiva is one of the most fascinating of Hindu gods.